Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hitch assemblies, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to gooseneck hitch assemblies having a ball hitch that can be stored in a position so as to avoid obstructing the bed of a towing vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Trailer hitch assemblies of various types are known in the art. For example, trailer hitch assemblies are commonly attached to towing vehicles for towing gooseneck or fifth wheel trailers. Trailer hitches extending through the cargo bed of vehicles may cause an obstruction that reduces the use of the bed. Attempts have been made in the art to provide hitches that are positionable such that the bed is not obstructed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,222 (granted Dec. 5, 1995 to Marcy) discloses a ball hitch and socket that is removably attached to a sleeve in a frame. A spring biased pin attached to the sleeve engages grooves formed on the exterior of the socket. The ball hitch and socket can be removed from the sleeve by rotating the hitch and socket to align the spring biased pin with an exit portion of the groove. The hitch and socket can then be lifted out of the sleeve, inverted, and inserted back into the sleeve such that the ball portion extends downwardly. In this position, the normally lower end of the socket is flush with the top side of the cargo bed so that the cargo bed is not obstructed by the ball. However, it may be difficult to align the spring biased pin with the exit portion of the groove. If the hitch and socked are rotated too far, or not far enough, the hitch cannot be removed from the sleeve. Moreover, the spring biased pin is not positioned in a visible location so that the locked condition of the hitch can be observed. This reduces the ability to visually check the security of the hitch.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,898 (granted May 21, 1991 to Works et al.) discloses a hitch that is selectively positioned within a retention sleeve in an upright position or an inverted position to prevent the ball from obstructing the cargo bed. The hitch is secured in position with a locking assembly that includes a spring biased pin that is received in an opening in the hitch. The locking assembly is actuated with a handle that is positioned in a wheel well of the towing vehicle. Operation of the locking assembly in the wheel well while attempting to remove the hitch may be inconvenient and difficult to accomplish.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,015 (granted Aug. 8, 2000 to Marcy) discloses a ball hitch having pins that are received in two connected slots in a sleeve secured to the mounting bracket. The ball hitch also has a resilient finger secured to the lower end of the ball hitch, and a vertical slot aligned with the finger. The finger protrudes away from the ball hitch to form a lock with the sleeve. The finger can be pressed into the vertical slot so as to release the lock with the sleeve so that the ball hitch can be rotated and removed from the sleeve. However, the configuration of the two distinct slots in the sleeve may make removal of the ball hitch difficult. Furthermore, debris may fall into the vertical slot in the ball hitch thereby making activation of the locking finger more difficult. Moreover, the configuration of the locking finger makes it susceptible to being snagged and damaged.
Thus, despite the advantages of the prior art, the prior art is characterized by several disadvantages that are addressed by the present invention. The present invention minimizes, and in some aspects eliminates, the above-mentioned failures, and other problems, by utilizing the methods and structural features described herein.
Thus, there is a need for an improved gooseneck hitch assembly that is simple to operate, in which the ball hitch can be removed from the cylinder, inverted, and replaced in the cylinder for storage such that the ball hitch does not provide an obstruction in the cargo bed of the tow vehicle. It would also be an improvement in the art to provide such a hitch assembly that has a locking member that can be visually checked to verify the locked status of the hitch assembly. The locking member should be durable and configured to prevent debris in the bed from rendering the locking member inoperable. It would be a further improvement to provide a hitch assembly that has redundant locking features that enhance the safety of the hitch assembly.
The features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.